A bumper, season-high crowd of 11,035 saw Glory produce a spirited display and create the better chances against Melbourne Victory on Saturday evening, only for second half goals from Nishan Velupillay and Santos Rodrigues to secure a 2-0 win for the visitors.
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Click HERE for David Zdrilic’s post-match media conference
There was goalmouth action aplenty right from the off on a balmy summer evening at HBF Park and particularly in the early stages of the second half when Adam Taggart, Nicholas Pennington and Zach Lisolajski all went desperately close to breaking the deadlock for Glory.
But having failed to take those chances, David Zdrilic’s side were punished in clinical fashion as Velupillay swept home from inside the box to make it 1-0 and six minutes later, Santos headed in a Niko Vergos cross to double his side’s lead and effectively seal all three points.
It was Victory who started the game on the front foot, Jordi Valadon forcing a fingertip save from Oli Sail and Velupillay fizzing a shot narrowly wide from a tight angle.
Adam Taggart duly responded for Glory by surging through the Victory defence and unleashing a strike which Mitch Langerak did well to deflect away with his chest, before Sail trumped his opposite number by producing a breathtaking, one-handed block to turn Vergos’ diving header over the bar from point-blank range.
Glory returned for the second half brimming with intent and could have gone ahead inside the first minute as Jaylan Pearman’s cross was steered goalward by Taggart, but Brendan Hamill managed to clear off the line.
Lisolajski was next to threaten the Victory goal, rifling in a low cross which just eluded several of his team-mates as they stretched to reach it, before Pennington was unable to poke in a Pearman cross from right in front as covering defenders converged upon him.
With the packed Shed in full voice, a Glory breakthrough seemed imminent and yet it was the navy-and-whites who proceeded to find the net completely against the run of play.
Sail managed to parry an initial shot from Zinedine Machach, but Velupillay reacted quickest to slip the loose ball into an empty net and Glory barely had time to recover from that setback when Vergos crossed from the left and Santos headed in his side’s second of the night.
Zdrilic cleared his bench in a bid to find a way back into the game and one of those substitutes, Joel Anasmo, caused plenty of anxious moments for the Victory defence late on, but ultimately they managed to hold firm.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 Season Round 17
Perth Glory 0 Melbourne Victory 2 (Velupillay 61′, Santos 67′)
Half-time: 0-0
HBF Park
Saturday 1 February 2025
Referee: Daniel Cook
Attendance: 11,035
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 4.Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS, 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI (17.Yuto MISAO 68′), 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Trent OSTLER (18.Lachie WALES 68′), 22.Adam TAGGART, 23.Patrick WOOD (12.Taras GOMULKA 79′), 25.Jaylan PEARMAN (31.Joel ANASMO 68′), 27.Will FRENEY (10.Nikola MILEUSNIC 84′), 29.Tomi MRCELA
Substitutes not used: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 28.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI
Yellow Cards: Freney
Red Cards: None
Melbourne Victory: 1. Mitch LANGERAK, 5. Brendan HAMILL, 6. Ryan TEAGUE, 8. Zinedine MACHACH (27. Reno PISCOPO 79′), 9. Nikolaos VERGOS (10. Bruno FORNAROLI 68′), 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES (3. Adama TRAORE 87′), 14. Jordi VALADON (18. Fabian MONGE 87′), 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY (7. Daniel ARZANI 68′), 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 28. Kasey BOS
Substitutes not used: 16. Joshua INSERRA, 25. Jack DUNCAN (gk)
Yellow Cards: Teague
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
